Editorial: Louisiana - the most happy state in the union

Based on a recent study published in Science Magazine, Louisiana can claim the title of “happiest” state in the nation.

Based on a recent study published in Science Magazine, Louisiana can claim the title of “happiest” state in the nation.

Drum roll, if you agree.

Silence, if you find it hard to swallow.

OK, we’re buying in, not because the study seems overly credible or scientific, but because we love Louisiana and it makes us happy.

How scientific was this study?

Is Science Magazine really trying to tell us that people in Louisiana are more happy than No. 2 Hawaii, where sunshine and beaches are a way of life?

Yes, that is what they are doing, though we would find their happy study results no less amazing if the Saints had beat Dallas on Saturday.

Apparently, the study folks created an Average Joe type American and then compared Joe to people who live in each state. This fellow representing a composite of Americans came out happier when he was immersed in data from Louisiana.

We figure Joe must really like a theatrical political scene, crawfish boils, hunting and fishing, football, Mardi Gras, jazz, fried food and a healthy dose of rain.

We figure he must not have liked the new Yankee Stadium, or Broadway, the Statue of Liberty, or the David Letterman show, because New York state came out last in the rankings.

Louisiana, home of the Big Easy, is the happiest state, and New York, home of the Big Apple, is the least happy state.

At any rate, it seems we have a high overall life-satisfaction in Louisiana.

We assume that also means that because we are working to rebuild the state after four big hurricane hits in recent years, we have something to keep our minds from being withdrawn and gloomy. We have a worthy goal that we’re working for, which contributes mightily to our collective happiness.

The study authors don’t necessarily agree having a common goal is a contributor to happiness. In fact, they say that the hurricanes, particularly Katrina, may have driven all the unhappy people of Louisiana to other states.

That doesn’t sound very scientific to us.

We think the evidence was clear all along that Louisiana is a happy state. We’re easy come, easy go down here. We even like New York, though we wouldn’t want to live there.